Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

So, as I’m sure you all know, the Powerball here in the US is up to 1.5 Billion dollars. I play the lottery and always have (I don’t play it every week or even every month-but I do play). I do know some people are against it and I completely understand why because I do think it preys on people’s hopes and dreams. But the way I look at it, if you aren’t spending food or rent money or taking money away from your kids or bills and just using disposable income to play (and you aren’t addicted to gambling or obsessive-obviously), then I don’t think there really is a problem. You’re just “buying a chance at a dream” as my grandpa used to say. Plus, in most states, lottery money does benefit some really worthwhile things!
SN: When I say always, I really mean always. When I was little I had a great uncle named Bob who would give me “scratch off money” every time he saw me. So, I’ve been playing the lottery in some form since I was 4 or 5!

Well, anyway, what would you do if you won 1.5 billion dollars (just under a billion cash after taxes)?

I was thinking a lot about it today after I bought my tickets. I’m a little superstitious so I always try to plan out the stuff I’d do with my winnings and somehow I think that increases my chances, hahaha!

If I won just under a billion dollars in cash, first things first, I would remain anonymous! I’d rent a car and drive to the claim center and claim my winnings. I’d call my mom and tell her to take a personal day and come here and I’d hire a tax attorney and broker.

I would put 10 percent into a charity account so that I could give money to whatever causes I wanted to.

Then I would put half of the remainder into an account/CD/IRA (whatever I could find that was the most safe and stable) with the highest interest rate I could find.

Of the half remaining, I would invest a quarter in the markets or other investment opportunities.

With the remaining ¾ of the remaining half, I would pay off my parents debts. Build/buy them a house (or two) wherever they wanted and hire whatever help they wanted. I would also set up interest earning accounts to pay for their care when they get older.

I would help other relatives and my few friends, but anonymously by depositing money into their accounts or mailing them checks under an alias.

I would pay off my student loans. Buy myself a car (not a luxury one, but a new one-maybe a Mazda or Fiat). I’d get out of my lease and buy an apartment closer to my job and furnish it…I thought a lot about it and I would definitely continue working. I was kinda happy when I thought about it because I know that means I really am happy with what I’m doing! I would find another person to fill in for me whenever I wanted to go on a trip.

I’d reapply to NYU for a couple of undergraduate programs: graphic design, web design, journalism, international studies, film, and acting.

I’d buy an apartment in Italy (probably Rome or Assisi), in Atlanta, a house wherever my parents chose to move, and an apartment in Honolulu. I’d build a tiny house (like those legit hippy, tiny houses) on my parents property in Alabama.

I would then plan an all expenses paid trip to the beach (probably Hawaii or Cuba) for everyone I love for a week and have a big party.

That would be it. What was left of the 3/4 after all of that would be added into the high interest account/IRA/CD and I would live off the interest and my wages. I would go on with my life afterwards. I would keep working and hopefully go to school for a few more degrees. Travel on the weekends. Eat at nice restaurants. Get my hair and nails done professionally more often.

I did realize I really would like someone to spend the money with. Normally I am pretty content being single. I get lonely, often, but I mean, I’m not devastated that I’m alone. I am thankful I have freedom. But as I was thinking about what I would do, I did hope I would meet someone to enjoy traveling with that I could trust and that was fun and nice to me.

As you can tell, I’ve thought about it A LOT, hahaha! Unfortunately, y’all will never know if I win, but if you played, GOOD LUCK! 🙂